Day 6: Prayers for Churches Serving Children
Praying for Churches and Ministries Who Are Serving Children Whose Parent’s Are Incarcerated
Did you know that . . . Children and families with incarcerated parents not only face the trauma of loss, but also a range of economic and social conditions that result from incarceration. Nationally, 7.3 million children have at least one parent in jail or prison. Sadly, 70 percent of these kids will repeat this cycle, becoming imprisoned at some point in their lives. Children of incarcerated parents are five times more likely than their peers to commit crimes. However, these at-risk children are largely ignored before they get in trouble. Did you know that there are churches who are serving these children on a daily basis.
Let’s Pray
Jesus, when you began your ministry you declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoner and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18) We worship you today and ask you to give us your heart for the poor, the prisoner, the blind and the oppressed.
It is the deep desire of our hearts to see your Kingdom come in Houston. Work in us today Lord, as we pray for prisoners and their children. Fill us with a vision of a city where every prisoner and his or her children have someone in their lives who is an incarnation of your great love.
We understand your heart of compassion for prisoners, and we know you have called us to have that heart as well. (John 17:18) We confess that rather than a response of love, often our heart is one of judgment or fear. These responses blind us not only to those in prison but to the children who are impacted by the traumatic loss of a parent. We ask you to forgive us for these sins and to help us more deeply embrace your priorities. You instruct us by saying, “and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:10). As we meditate on these words, it is our prayer, Lord, that you will change our hearts.
Help us to see the men and women who are incarcerated in Texas – and their children – with your eyes and to serve them as if we were serving you (Matthew 25:31-46). It is our prayer God that you would use the children for whom we are praying now to assist churches in the future in ministering to offender families. Your word says, “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die. (Psalms 102:18-20)
We give you thanks today Lord, for the Guardian Angel’s ministry at Brentwood Baptist Church and for others like it across the city that are serving the children of parent’s who are incarcerated. Thank you for the hope that we find in their work. It is our prayer, Lord, that you bless this ministry and raise up many more like it. Please, Lord, empower your people across Greater Houston to make a difference. Let your Spirit rest upon us to serve those who are imprisoned and their children. All of this we ask in your name, the name of Jesus, and for the sake of the children of our city.
Share this post:
